09032019-btd-01.qxd 3/8/2019 11:03 PM Page 1 c m y b Bathinda TRIBUNE ONE STOP CENTRE BECOMES FUNCTIONAL IN BARNALA PAGE 2 District administration starts Sakhi: Any woman affected by violence can approach the centre. FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY INBRIEF VALUABLES WORTH ~14 LAKH STOLEN Malout: Thieves on Thursday targeted a house at Danewala village near hear. They decamped with cash and valuables worth Rs 14 lakh from the house. Harcharan Singh of Danewala village lodged a complaint with the police that he had gone to the passport office in Amritsar on Thursday and when he returned home, he found his 12,800 Australian dollars, 15 tolas of gold, one Omega watch and Rs 40,000 missing. The police have started investigation after registering a case under Sections 380 and 454 of the IPC. TNS FUEL PRICES PETROL ~71.80 DIESEL ~65.75 WHAT’S ON BATHINDA LOK ADALAT: A Lok Adalat would be organised at the District Courts Complex at 10 am WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP: The Great Khali wrestling championship matches will start at Multipurpose Stadium at 5 pm CITY OBSERVES INT’L WOMEN’S DAY ■ International Women’s Day was celebrated by the BJP Mahila Morcha and the SAD women wing (Bathinda) at a city hotel where Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and other dignitaries were present. P2 PAGE 3 TOO MUCH TO HANDLE, STORY GETS JUMBLED UP WHEN RONIT VOHRA MET SALMAN KHAN There are family ties, discords, village life, connecting with the roots and a wedding in Guddiyan Patole. MAX 26°C | MIN 11°C | YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 9°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6:34 PM Ronit Vohra is ecstatic as he nears the launch of his new single, a Punjabi love song. SUNRISE SUNDAY 6:47 AM Kartarpur corridor on track: Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal says the Centre has moved swiftly in this direction Tribune News Service Bathinda, March 8 Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday said the strained Indo-Pak ties wouldn’t derail the Kartarpur Sahib corridor and the March 14 meeting between the two countries over the issue was very much on the track. Talking to mediapersons, Harsimrat said, “I had raised the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the last cabinet meeting of the NDA government. He said it was his commitment to the Sikh community to complete the project before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.” She said the Centre had moved swiftly in this direction while expressing hope that the corridor would be constructed soon to facili- REJECTS CLAIMS ■ On Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Moga on Thursday, the Minister said Rahul’s claims of Punjab farmers being happy and the state government breaking the backbone of the drug mafia were far from reality. Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal speaks during a function in Bathinda on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PAWAN SHARMA tate the pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib. On Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Moga on Thursday, the Minister said Rahul’s claims of Punjab farmers being happy and the state government breaking the backbone of the drug mafia were far from reality. Replying to media queries regarding Punjab Ekta Party chief Sukhpal Singh Khaira’s keenness to fight elections against her, “Leaders usually contest elections to serve the people, but here you have the likes of Sukhpal Khaira who want to face me in the poll arena merely to gain political mileage.” At the same time, she thanked the people of her constituency who blessed her so that political leaders now wanted to contest against her. Kotbhai announces ~12 crore for Mehma Sarja Tribune News Service FUNDS FOR ROADS, STADIUM AND PARKS Bathinda, March 8 Congress MLA Pritam Singh Kotbhai announced Rs 12 crore grant for developmental works for Mehma Sarja village in Goniana block. These funds would be utilised for constructing roads, solar panels, sewerage system, stadium and parks among other basic amenities in the area, the MLA said during an event at Government Senior Secondary School, ■ These funds would be utilised for constructing roads, solar panels, sewerage system, stadium and parks among other basic amenities in the area, the MLA said during an event at Government Senior Secondary School, Mehma Sarja. ■ Kotbhai made the announcement during a function where he distributed as many as 81 bicycles among girl students of the school under the Mai Bhago scheme Mehma Sarja. Kotbhai made the announcement during a function where he distributed as many as 81 bicycles among girl students of the OT unit of health centre turns into pigeon house school under the Mai Bhago scheme. The Congress MLA said apart from carrying out developmental works at Mehma Sarja village, the state of basic amenities would also be uplifted at villages such as Nathiana and Lakhi Jungle. Addressing the gathering of people at the village, Kotbhai said, “The development and repair/renovation works of sewerage, interlocking tiles, anganwadi centre, stadium, school and grain market would be done with Rs 12 crore. Funds will also be utilised for repair work of the crematorium and pan- chayat office. The work is expected to start soon.” “Rs 4.60 crore for sewerage system, Rs 4.46 crore for interlocking tiles for roads, Rs 1.30 crore for solar panel, Rs 49 lakh for anganwadi centre, Rs 26 lakh for renovation of stadium, Rs 42 lakh for government senior secondary school, Rs 70 lakh for panchayat ghar and Rs 54 lakh will be utilised for the crematorium among other works,” he added. SATURDAY | 9 MARCH 2019 | BATHINDA ILLEGAL CONFINEMENT, TORTURE CASE 2 policemen sent to two years in jail Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, March 8 For the offence of torturing a person in police lockup, detaining him to extract money and making illegal and forcible entry into his house allegedly to kidnap him, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Faridkot, has sentenced two head constables of Kotkapura to twoyear jail term. The incident dates back to May 2014 when two head constables of the Kotkapura police station, Jang Singh and Surjit Singh, had allegedly trespassed into the house of Sunil Kumar, a resident of Prem Nagar, Kotkapura, kidnapped him and wrongfully confined him for the purpose of extorting money. They also caused hurt to Sunil Kumar and gave him death threats. While convicting the police officials guilty under Sections 452, 365, 348, 323, 506 and 34 of the IPC, Chief Judicial Magistrate Kapil Dev Singla said the accused didn’t deserve to be released on probation of good conduct and behaviour. As the police had allegedly not taken any action on the complaint of Sushil Kumar, he was forced to file a criminal complaint against two constables and Kotkapura SHO to get justice. In his complaint in the court, filed in July 2014, Sunil Bathinda, March 8 Three spacious rooms, including an operation theatre (OT) unit, are lying unutilised at the Urban Primary Health Centre, Beant Nagar, for past many years. As windowpanes of more than a dozen windows of the centre are broken, pigeons have started living in these rooms. The operation theatre unit at the centre has the required medical equipment, but owing to the indifferent approach of the authorities concerned, it has been turned into a permanent home for pigeons now. There are two other rooms lying vacant in the centre. Notably, the health centre that was made operational in 2011 did not see any major repairs since then. On a visit to the centre, the Bathinda Tribune team found out that almost every window in the hospital is either partly or fully broken. The plaster from walls has peeled off and owing to improper cleaning measures, rooms at the first floor emanate foul smell (due to pigeon excreta). Floors and walls of the unutilised rooms are dotted with pigeon poop. Sources in the Health Department said children as well as youngsters of Dhobiana Basti trespass and enter the premises of the health centre during evening hours and break window panes, thereby making it easy for pigeons to enter the rooms. The broken windowpanes; and (below) the OT unit of the Urban Primary Health Centre in Beant Nagar, Bathinda. PHOTOS: VIJAY KUMAR An employee of the centre said, “When we ask these children not to enter the premises of the centre, they often indulge in verbal spat with us.” He added, “We have asked the Health Department authorities to provide us a chowkidar (watchman), but the latter did not heed our demand.” Sources added that the health centre had not seen any major repairs since 2011 when it was made operational, as a result plaster has peeled off from walls. Requests of whitewash and repair work have fallen on deaf ears. As the authorities could not provide adequate funds, the staff had to manage affairs on their own to carry out minor repair work at the centre, sources added. Residents of Dhobiana Basti said, “If the government had constructed a building and operation theatre then why couldn’t it be made fully-operational?” It is a sheer wastage of public money as the government spent a hefty amount for construction of buildings and leaves them unutilized, they added. Civil Surgeon Dr Hari Narain Singh could not be contacted despite repeated attempts. Kumar had alleged that his face was wrapped with cloth and water was put in his nose due to which his breath was stopped and there were attempts to kill him in the police lock-up. The complainant alleged that he had undergone the police torture for two days at Kotkapura and Jaito police station as the police want to extort money and procure his signature on some papers. After recording of the preliminary evidence in this case in the past over four years, the court summoned head constable Jang Singh and Surjit Singh. However, the court did not take any action against the SHO as there was no substantial evidence to probe his involvement in the criminal act. Sunil had alleged that on May 27, 2014, the guilty police officials entered his house. They abducted him with intent to wrongfully confine him and kept him in illegal custody for two days to constrain him to satisfy their demand for money. They had beaten him up with sticks and intimidated him to extract money, he added. The accused pulled his legs in opposite directions, which led to injuries in his groin. “All my complaints to the senior police authorities fell on deaf ears and I was forced to file a complaint in the court,” claimed Sunil. Khali urges youth to shun drugs, take up sports Along with Mayor, holds road show on the eve of wrestling championship in city Tribune News Service Sameer Singh Tribune News Service PAGE 4 Bathinda, March 8 Popular WWE wrestler ‘The Great Khali’, along with the Mayor and other wrestlers took out a road show in the city ahead of a wrestling tournament, ‘Great Khali Fight’, in which wrestlers from the country and abroad will participate in Bathinda. The wrestling event will be organised by CWE Wrestling Academy (owned by Khali) at Multipurpose Stadium on Saturday. Popular TV and Bollywood actress, Rakhi Sawant, also participated in the road show that started from Multipurpose Stadium. After moving through different parts of the city, the road show concluded at the stadium. The matches will start at 5 pm and tickets can be bought The Great Khali with Mayor Balwant Rai Nath, actress Rakhi Sawant and wrestlers during a road show in Bathinda on Friday. PHOTO: VIJAY KUMAR at the venue for Rs 500. While interacting with mediapersons at the stadium, Khali said, “Punjab is infamous for drugs and its youth were the prime victim of drug abuse. But it’s time that we go ahead with an image makeover and shed that tag by involving our youth in sports activities. Punjab has a great history when it comes to performing and winning medals both at national and international platforms. However, with the passage of time, state’s performance has been lagging behind and drug menace is main reason behind that. The idea behind organising the wrestling event is to encourage youngsters to quit drugs and take up sports.” “It is a wonderful opportunity for residents of Bathinda to watch wrestlers of international repute in action,” added Apart from five international wrestlers, more than 15 Indian wrestlers will participate in the championship. On Saturday, final matches of the championship will be played. League matches of the event were played in Ludhiana on March 2. Mann attacks govt over electricity bills, education Parvesh Sharma Tribune News Service Barnala, March 8 Punjab AAP chief and Member of Parliament (MP) from Sangrur, Bhagwant Mann, on Friday visited various villages of Barnala district to mobilise support for his party’s Bijli Andolan. Both Punjab and Central government came under his attack. “Present and earlier governments of Punjab have robbed the poor by charging hefty electricity bills. But we have launched Bijli Andolan to c m y b expose all. We are getting good response. If anyone is getting exorbitant bill, he should immediately approach our party leaders,” said Mann while addressing a gathering at Sanghera village. He visited Jhalore, Karmgarh, Bakhatgarh, Vidhata, Bihla, Diwana, Sohiyan Nariangarh and Raisar villages. “There is no dearth of good teachers in government schools of Punjab. But since our bureaucrats and politicians want to close these government institutions to run their private schools, they are projecting our government schools as failure, which is totally wrong. Our government schools have produced many great personalities,” said Mann. He alleged that schools were without required teachers, rooms and other infrastructure. “Our teachers are only demanding required facilities in their schools, but the government is making them a villain. How teachers could provide effective teaching without facilities?” asked Mann. The working of the Punjab Health Department also came under attack. “On papers, a majority of state villages have primary health centres. But only a few are functional and that too are without required facilities. Not only small health centres, even big hospitals are without required facilities,” alleged Mann. He also alleged that he had donated ambulances to hospitals, but many of them remained unutilised. “Hospitals do not have required drivers for ambulances. The Punjab Government could at least provide drivers to hospital to run ambulances to save lives,” said Mann. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of ignoring the plight of Punjab. “Punjab has not got any help from the Prime Minister Modi despite my raising the issue many times in Parliament,” alleged Mann.

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